Things To Do In SW Florida

By JOSH FUNK

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Union Pacific is seeking to buy Norfolk Southern in a $85 billion deal that would create the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S, and potentially trigger a final wave of rail mergers across the country.

The proposed merger, announced Tuesday, would marry Union Pacific’s rail network in the West with Norfolk’s rails that snake across Eastern states.

The nation was first linked by rail in 1869, when a golden railroad spike was driven in Utah to symbolize the connection of East and West Coasts. Yet no single entity has controlled that coast-to-coast passage that so many businesses rely on.

The railroads said the tie-up would streamline deliveries of raw materials and goods across the country by eliminating several days of delays when shipments are handed off between railroads. The AP first reported the merger talks earlier this month a week before the railroads confirmed the discussions last week.

Any deal would be closely scrutinized by antitrust regulators that have set a very high bar for railroad deals after previous consolidation in the industry led to massive backups and snarled traffic. read more

Osceola County is launching a second NeoCity technology park in St. Cloud, in the latest piece of the county’s aggressive, publicly-subsidized job development efforts.

The county has contemplated “NeoCity South” since acquiring 323 acres last year on the Cross Prairie Parkway at the new Florida’s Turnpike interchange with W. Nolte Road from D.R. Horton. Development Services Director Raymond Stangle announced the decision last week while speaking to the Osceola County Association of Realtors, according to a report in GrowthSpotter.

“We’ve got NeoCity moving forward at a brisk pace, and we’ve got lots of interest there,” Stangle said. “And now we’re taking our next step to look at the 300 acres and partnering with St. Cloud in creating NeoCity South … We’re very excited about building on our brand and bringing jobs to Osceola County.”

The county is nearing a deal for the development of a smart city center at its main NeoCity campus, anchored by a new $225 million performing arts center. County Manager Don Fisher said co-developers Sciame Construction and Edward J. Minskoff are expected to submit development plans for phase 1 by December. read more

Yes, it’s crazy hot outside. But yes, there are options to steaming and standing in line for a ride. Orlando has many indoor attractions to fill the overheated vacation and staycation time. Here are five combo packs that offer direct sunlight only whilst you are moving from the car to the gate.

Merlin minds

Icon Park offers several 1-2 attractions punches, but consider a stroll through Madame Tussauds Orlando then winding through Sea Life Orlando Aquarium. They’re both in the large building at the base of the Orlando Eye, so there would be no heat or rain to fret about in between stops. All three of those attractions are owned by Merlin Entertainments, so there are ticket bundles available.

Tussauds features wax-based replicas of famous folks ready for their close-ups and your selfies. A recent addition is a new version of Taylor Swift, one of 13 poses created for Tussauds outlets worldwide. Sea Life is home to creatures such as sharks, turtles, stingrays, jellyfish and seahorses, and the structural highlight is probably the Ocean Tunnel that gives dry landers an all-around look at underwater life. read more

Just months after emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, Spirit Airlines is taking more measures to contain costs by furloughing another 270 pilots and demoting 140 others, management  confirmed Monday.

“We are taking necessary steps to ensure we operate as efficiently as possible as part of our efforts to return to profitability,” the company said in a statement.

“Among these steps, we have made the difficult decision to furlough approximately 270 pilots, effective Nov. 1, 2025, to better align staffing with our flight schedule,” the airline added. “We recognize the weight of this decision and are committed to treating all affected team members with compassion and respect during this process.”

The Spirit contingent of the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents more than 3,000 of the airline’s pilots, said its master executive council is working on a “furlough mitigation memorandum” with the company “to reduce the scope of these furloughs and preserve pilot careers wherever possible.” read more

For Florida boaters, recent summers have meant more crowds and more crashes.

Peaking every year from May through July, boating traffic and accidents in the state surged after the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Tampa Bay Times analysis of data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The April crash involving prominent St. Petersburg businessperson Jeff Knight cast a spotlight on boating safety in and beyond Tampa Bay when the vessel he was operating collided with the Clearwater Ferry, killing one and injuring several others.

As Florida’s boating population grows, so does its potential for safety issues, experts say. The state has more than a million registered vessels — about 7% more than in 2019 and roughly 10% of all boats in the U.S.

“I grew up here, on the waterways pretty much my whole life. It has exploded,” said Officer Scott Pierce, who has served with the St. Petersburg Police Department for 18 years — three of which have been spent on the agency’s Marine Unit. “Boat ownership has gone through the roof.” read more